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Renault ready to supply more teams

The head of Renault's engine programme Remi Taffin says the company is ready to expand its customer supply to additional teams in 2011

It currently provides engines for Red Bull Racing as well as its own works programme, but has been linked with Williams and Lotus - both currently running Cosworth power - as well for next season.

"We don't know which teams we will be supplying next year," said Taffin. "We certainly have got the capacity to supply more than the two teams we have been doing this year, it's not a big problem for us.

"Obviously we have to produce a few more engines and get some more people to do the job. As far as getting an engine ready and supplying two teams, it's then not a big problem to do so for three or four teams with an extra effort."

Renault was regarded as one of the weaker engines in the Formula 1 field last season, but was allowed to make adjustments as part of an FIA-approved engine equalisation process.

With its own team showing much better form this year and taking two podiums with Robert Kubica so far, and the Renault-powered Red Bulls starting to dominate the championship, the criticism of Renault's engine performance has ceased in recent months. The top three in both qualifying and the race in Monte Carlo last weekend used Renault V8s.

Taffin acknowledged that other engine suppliers might be producing more power, but said Renault was very happy with the way its engine was performing overall.

"I have to say it always quite difficult to assess what the overall level power of the engine is," he said. "We might not have the best level in terms of power, but you have to look overall; how you set up the engine in the car, how you can develop the engine in the car or the car around the engine.

"So, I have to say, overall maybe we are not in as bad shape as you hear people say about [us], but I am quite happy with this engine."

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